Lexus NX

The Top Gear car review:Lexus NX

Driving

What is it like on the road?

Most NX’s sold in the UK will be the hybrid but it’s difficult to see why. It’s the 2.5-litre engine with a CVT gearbox and the combination isn’t a pleasant one. As with most CVTs, it makes the engine drone on like an accountant discussing tax law, and the electric aspect of the hybrid isn’t beefy enough to power the NX at anything other than walking pace. The turbo is more interesting. It’s a brand new lump producing 235bhp and 258lb ft and, crucially, is mated to a new six-speed gearbox that, dare we say it, almost gives the NX a bit of character.

Not that the driving experience can match it. The ride is way too firm, even in standard guise, and the steering is dead, so the NX has a weird combination of not being sporty and not being comfortable. It’s the worst of both worlds.